KRD Side Story: Ryuga's Guilt
by Kamen Rider Chrome
Summary: Takes place in KRD IV Chapter 3: Envy. Ryuga's guilt cathes up to him as he is forced to come to terms with his sins, betrayal, and regret for all the horrible things he's done.


**RYUGA'S GUILT**

Ryuga could only watch as Ai was being treated for her wounds. "This is my fault," he murmured to himself. "My fault she got hurt…just like everything."

"You didn't know this would happen," Warren said, placing a hand on Ryuga's shoulder. Ryuga shrugged him off and turns his eyes away.

"Is she going to be okay?" Ryuga asked.

"Yes," Warren answered. "It's a good thing you brought her here so quickly. She's lost a lot of blood."

"Good, then I'll just go now," said Ryuga as he headed to the door.

"Aren't you going to wait here for her to wake up?" Warren asked.

"I'm the last thing she'll want to see after she wakes up," Ryuga answered with guilt.

"I doubt that," said Warren. "You saved her life."

"No," Ryuga denied, "You're the ones doing that. I'm the one who caused her to get hurt. She got hurt because of me, because I got too close to her."

"What makes you say that?" Warren questioned.

"Because everything I've ever cared for is gone and it's all my fault!" Ryuga shouted. "My world is gone! My family's gone! My friends are gone! Everything is gone! And all because of me!" His fists were clenched as tight as his eyes. "All of it…gone…" tears began to fall from his eyes.

Warren did not see a monster. Warren did not see the dreaded Orphenoch King from a timeline that was now lost. What Warren did see was an old friend who'd been suffering and regretting all of his sins.

Ryuga began, "When…when I lost Jinx…I was so distraught that…that I turned everyone away. Each day I spent without her was torture and then one day I just had enough of it. So, I left…"

"And sided with the enemy," Warren concluded.

"I didn't know what else to do or who else to turn to!" Ryuga shouted.

"You had your family, and friends," Warren corrected, "They stood by you…"

"And I betrayed everyone of them," Ryuga finished. "Everyday I wished I could take back everything I did…but then Occultus put the essence of the Orphenoch King in me and everything…everything went to hell. I changed. I no longer cared about the difference between good and evil. All I cared about was ending my pain! So…so I ended the Zodiac War and made my wish to rule everything."

"But you knew you could've made a different wish," stated Warren.

"Yeah…I could've wished that everything never happened. I could've wished Jinx back. Instead…instead I wished to become master of the world. Once I realized what I did it was already too late. Everything was set in motion already and I became the Orphenoch King, Lord of the World, with nothing to stand in my way but a small faction of resistance fighters led by a person who was once my friend."

"Why didn't you wish Jinx back?" Warren asked.

"I didn't want her to see what I've become, and the Orphenoch King's essence had taken over my soul and mind. All I could think about was dominating everything and eliminate all that could oppose me," Ryuga lowered his head. "I don't even know why I'm even telling you all this…"

"You went back in time to stop Future Craig from changing the past and ensure your existence," Warren said, "But I think that deep down you wanted to change the past yourself." Ryuga looked up at Warren in confusion. "You wanted Ryuki to see what he would become and to stop it from happening. You may not have realized it consciously, but you scared him out of turning evil."

"So, I actually did a good thing?" Ryuga questioned cynically.

"Well, he's happy. He got Jinx. He didn't turn into the Orphenoch King…"

"And yet I'm still here," Ryuga retorted. "Warren, I know you have a PhD in Psychology, but do you really think I would make such a plan to destroy myself?"

"Ryuki was willing to let Future Craig kill him so he wouldn't turn into you. What do you think? He was willing to sacrifice himself to save everyone. Even if you did not consciously realize it yourself, you were doing the same thing," Warren told Ryuga.

Ryuga gritted his teeth. "Fine, if what you say is true, why haven't I tried to kill myself?"

"Self-preservation," Warren reasoned. "You're not the type to kill yourself. However, you would let someone try and kill you if you gave them a chance."

Ryuga snorted. "You know, you can psychobabble and psychoanalyze me all you want, but you're still wrong." Ryuga glared as he added, "I'm a monster. I'm evil. When I was born, Ryuki died."

"If you're so much of a monster, then why did you bring Ai here?" Warren countered.

Ryuga didn't answer.

"Take a seat," Warren offered. "I'll warm a cup of coffee up for you. You look like you need it."

* * *

As Ai laid in bed, her injured body bandaged up and healing, Ryuga sat in the Smiths' living room with a cup of steaming coffee in his hand. Tessa and Alex stared up at the white-haired young man but he ignored them.

Warren entered the living room and the Orphenoch King asked, "So, how is she?"

"She's lucky to be alive when you brought her here," Warren answered. "But why did you bring her here instead of a hospital?"

"I may have forgotten my humanity, but I haven't forgotten how good you and Rachel are as healers," said Ryuga. "So, are you surprised that I actually care for a human girl?"

"A little, but then again since I know who you used to be…"

"Don't ask me why I did it, because I can't give you an answer right now." Ryuga saw the Smith twins staring at him and it was annoying. "Stop staring at me, you little brats."

Tessa asked curiously since he looked just like Ryuki and Ryuji, despite the difference in eye and hair color, "Are you our Uncle too?"

Ryuga shook his head. The innocence and naiveté of a young child simply knew no bounds. He denied, "No, I'm not..." and added, "but…I used to be…a long time ago."

Alex blinked and asked, "What does that mean? Dad says once family, always family."

Ryuga snorted, "So naive." Tessa suddenly hugged Ryuga's leg. This infuriated the Orphenoch King of the Lost Timeline. "Warren, get your brat off me!" Ryuga ordered.

Warren snickered and teased, "What's wrong Ryuga? She just likes you."

Ryuga muttered, "She's a weirdo, just like her old man." Tessa smiled up at him. "So, are you sure that Yamagata will be alright?"

"Have I ever let you down before?"

Ryuga smirked and then made a motion to leave as he stood up, still with Tessa latched to his leg. "I'll leave Yamagata in your hands then. I have some people to hunt down."

Warren pointed, "OK, but can I have my daughter back first?" Tessa was still latched onto Ryuga's leg and he was trying to shake and pry her off.

"Get off!" Ryuga ordered.

Tessa nodded and dislodged from Ryuga's leg before scampering over and hugging her father's leg instead. Warren looked to Ryuga, knowing Ryuga's reasons for bringing Ai here for help. "I think I know why you brought that girl here," said Warren.

Ryuga scoffed, "Enlighten me then."

"You love her." Ryuga didn't answer, but Warren took it as a 'yes'. "I knew it. Looks like there is still a heart in there."

Ryuga denied, "A monster like me can never love. I've lost the right," and in the blink of an eye he was gone.

Tessa looked up at Warren and asked, "Daddy, that was our uncle too, right?"

Warren answered, smiling down at his daughter, "Yeah, he was, sweetie…He was…and still is…"

Rachel went to Warren and whispered, "She's waking up."

"Good. He'll be happy to hear that," replied Warren.

* * *

Ai's eye fluttered open. Her right eye had an eye patch over it and she was covered in bandages to cover all her ugly wounds. Her ruined clothes had been disposed off.

Ai murmured repeatedly, "Ryuga...Ryuga-san..."

Warren shook his head, "Sorry, he's not here."

Ai slowly became coherent when he saw her homeroom teacher. "Sensei...? Where am I?"

"My apartment. Ryuga dropped you off here."

"He did?"

Warren nodded. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"I opened the door and felt a stabbing pain and then...nothing. Where did he go?"

Warren knew that Ai's condition was the work of Ryuga's Lucky Clover. "To do what he always does…be a hero."

* * *

Ryuga sat on the bench in the empty park. In his hand was a crushed can of soda. Being alone like this gave him peace and time to think.

When he first came to this world and discovered that Ifrit/Ryuji was this world's Rider and in love, he wanted to try and make Ryuji into him. After all, Ryuji was all of the bad parts of Ryuki in one nice package. Easily manipulated and converted to the dark side once given the right motivation. All Ryuga needed to do was to strip Ryuji of his happiness then everything else would fall into place. However, he'd failed and wandered the Multiverse again…alone.

And now he was alone again. Ai could've died and it was all his fault, just like his fault that his Jinx had died. "I'm sorry…" he began to apologize. "I'm sorry…" He was apologizing for all the terrible he'd done. "I'm sorry…" He began to tremble and sob. "I'm sorry…everyone…" He heard footsteps approaching and he didn't need to look up to see who it was. "So, you've come to finish me." His red eyes looked to see Ryuki, standing in front of him.

"Yes," confirmed Ryuki. "Sooner or later you'll be out on your own." Clutched in his hand was his Z-Deck.

Ryuga stood up, withdrawing his Z-Deck. "Alright, let's do this."

They thrust their Z-Decks out in front of them, the energy forming the belts and called out, "Henshin!"

* * *

Sparks flew as their swords clashed. Onyx and Draco, while identical in appearance, were as different as night and day. One was in red while the other was in black. Their battle had begun with them simultaneously activating their Sword Vents and immediately engaging each other in combat.

Draco swung at Onyx and the Dark Dragon Knight parried the sword with his own. He kicked at Draco's gut, knocking him backwards. The Red Dragon Knight recovered quickly and aimed a punch that struck Onyx across the face. Onyx too recovered and swung at Draco who got slashed across the chest. He capitalized on this and continued to slash at Draco, causing sparks to fly. Draco tumbled along the ground by a vicious kick to the chest. Onyx put his sword in his other hand and opened up his Visor before reaching to his belt and drawing a card. Seeing this, Draco opened his Visor and drew a card.

"_Strike Vent!_"

"_Guard Vent!_"

Onyx summoned his Black Drag Claw which equipped to his right arm. To counter the upcoming attack, Draco summoned his Drag Shield which equipped appeared in his hand. As soon as Onyx fired, the blast was blocked by Draco's shield. Draco charged at Onyx and bashed him with the shield. Onyx was knocked backwards but he whirled around and used a reverse roundhouse that hit Draco in the side. He then thrust his Drag Claw at Draco and fired at point blank range. The explosion knocked Draco backwards, sending him crashing into a nearby vending machine.

"Is that all you got, Draco?" Onyx mocked.

"Not quite," said Draco as he drew out a card depicting a golden wing and a flaming red background.

"A Survive card," Onyx grumbled. "I forgot you still had one of those."

A flame engulfed Draco's Drag-Visor and turned it into the Drag-Visor Ziwei, a gun resembling a dragon's head. The 'jaw' of the gun opened and Draco slotted the card in before shutting the gun.

"_SURVIVE!_"

Flames enveloped Draco and transformed him into Survive Mode. His bodysuit had turned black while his gauntlets had turned bright red along with his boots and trimmed in gold. His torso armor was crimson and resembled the face of his dragon. Extending from his shoulders were two large horns. His mask had gold edges and antennae near the top with a gold dragon emblem on the helmet. Like a switchblade, a short curved blade flipped forward from the top of his Drag-Visor Ziwei. It then extended. With his new weapon, he charged at Onyx who'd just recalled his Sword Vent.

Their blades clashed and Onyx was being knocked back by the force of their weapons clanging. Draco continued to attack Onyx with all the force he could muster. Their blades were then locked and Draco pushed Onyx against a lamppost. Onyx grunted as he felt his sword being forced against his throat.

Onyx knew why Draco hated him and he couldn't blame him. He was everything Draco despised and his exact opposite and Draco simply refused to become him. Draco intended to erase him for good and Onyx would not be able to stop him.

However, what about Ai? What would she found when she woke up? It would not be him. She was better off without him. She deserved a man, not a monster.

No, that was the coward's way and Onyx had taken the coward's way before and it had ended horribly.

"You didn't just betray your loved ones," Draco said to him, reminding him of his sisn, "You betrayed a whole world!"

"I don't need you telling me that!" Onyx grunted as he snapped at Draco. With a sudden burst of strength he pushed Draco backwards and smashed him with a kick that sent him staggering. He drew a card and slotted into his Visor.

"_Attack Vent!_"

Dragblacker roared and attacked Draco with ebony flames. Draco scrambled away from the flames. He drew a card and slotted it into his own Visor.

"_Attack Vent!_"

Another roar was heard as Dragranzer flew into the scene, evolving from Dragredder. It looked bigger than its original form with an appearance reminiscent of a European dragon, minus the wings. It smashed into its dark counterpart and the two dragons began to claw and bite at each other.

Draco charged at Onyx and slashed at him repeatedly. Onyx went down from several more slashes.

"It's time we ended this," said Draco. He drew a card which depicted his emblem with wings flanking it.

"Do it," Onyx murmured. Draco stopped.

"Excuse me?" Draco questioned.

"Just finish me," Onyx requested. "I shouldn't even exist here. I've brought nothing but pain."

Draco began to hesitate. '_This is a trick. He's trying to use reverse psychology on me. He says he wants me to finish me because he knows I won't do it. But_…'

"Are you deaf?" Onyx said. "Finish me!"

Draco sighed and returned his card to his deck before turning away. Silently, he walked away from Onyx.

* * *

Ryuga sat on a bench in the park. It was quiet and not in a peaceful way. People were ordered to stay indoors during this period and would soon be evacuated to shelters to keep them safe. Like that would do any good for them. Sauron was going to wipe out this whole world so unless they had figured out a way to travel into space this world's future was a hopeless one.

He looked across from him and saw the flowers. Ai loved to look at the flowers with him. He didn't know why she liked his company but the truth of the matter was she did. And now look at her now. She'd nearly died because of him. Because she associated with him she was in critical condition. It was a lucky thing that she managed to stay alive when he arrived. She had a strong will to live. Others would have died long before.

Now he was alone yet again. He was a traitor again. He'd killed his followers in a fit of rage. Just like in his own world he'd turned his back on the people who were close to him and betrayed them. Deep down, he actually considered Gendo, Shukawa and Himeko as friends but he could not forgive them for what happened to Ai. He just couldn't.

He looked up at the sky. The crimson aura around the Dark Nexus formed a perfect outline of the massive battleship. Sauron was sure an extravagant and showy demon. She wanted to display the power she had and so she did this. The towers were of course another show of her power. What were they for he didn't know, but he doubt they were just decorations. Sauron did thing for a reason and there was always method to her demonic madness.

Why declare war while she could've wiped this world out as easily? Why wait 7 days when she could've done it instantaneously? She wanted a challenge. She wanted it to be interesting. She wanted it to be fun. That was the only reason. This was just another one of her sick pleasures.

Ryuga heard a coin flip and snorted. "So, you're here too."

Tazuka approached the bench and sit down to the fallen Knight. He leaned back and looked at the sky. "Bad day?"

"You could say that. Once again I betrayed the people around me because someone I loved was hurt. Guess history is repeating itself," said Ryuga.

"It seems so," Tazuka replied, "But what have you learnt from this experience?"

"That love brings nothing but pain, torment and anguish," said Ryuga.

"Love also brings happiness," Tazuka added, "And I think that you were happy with this girl."

"Just an illusion."

"Is it? Or is this something else. Maybe you were trying to grasp at something you lost long ago with her. Have you thought of that?"

Ryuga stared at his hands and sighed. "She doesn't know what I am, what I've done and what I'm capable of. What she sees is an illusion. I'm just a monster who was trying to relive the past of something he lost before."

"You sound like Ryuji," observed Tazuka.

Ryuga didn't snap at Tazuka. Instead he sighed. "Yes, maybe I do, but unlike me he's found happiness. I will forever be trapped in a cycle of emptiness, loneliness and despair. That is my cursed life and I accept it."

"You don't have to accept it," Tazuka countered. "You can have a better life. All you need to do is change."

"I doubt I even deserve a chance for a better life and I can hardly change now. I've done too much." He grasped his fists. "I've killed so many people with these hands. They didn't matter to me, though. They were just faceless victims to me. I ignore the pain I caused them and move on to cause pain to others to satisfy my own desires. I kill others to fill the void but that only made the hole in my heart grow."

"I had a hole in my heart too," Tazuka replied, referring to his time as a Hollow and then an Arrancar, "But it's been filled and so can yours."

"But filled with what?"

"Only you can answer that."

Ryuga took Tazuka's words at heart when all of a sudden Tazuka pushed him and himself down to the ground, "Watch out!" An artillery shell flew over them and exploded behind them.

Ryuga snarled as he saw Torque standing not too far from them, holding his Giga Launcher. "Teme…!!!" He took out his Dark Dragon Z-Deck and called out, "Henshin!" before charging towards Torque. His armor formed over his body as Tazuka watched.

To defend himself from the shells being fired upon him, Onyx conjured a shield of psychic energy to deflect them. He then looked ahead and glared at Torque who still had his Giga Launcher trained on the Black Knight.

"Stop hiding behind shields and fight!" Torque demanded.

"So, it's a gunfight you want, eh?" questioned Onyx. He drew his card and said, "Well, be careful what you ask for, teme!" He opened up his Visor and slotted in the card before sliding it close.

"_Strike Vent!_"

Once the Black Drag Claw formed, Onyx ran straight for Torque, blasting him with blue fireballs. Torque was forced to abandon his Giga Launcher and draw his submachine gun-like Visor. The green gunslinger Rider shot at Onyx but his bullets just bounced off the psychic shield.

Onyx fired streams of flames at Torque who shot right back at him. Torque was forced to dodge around from the flames which were extremely hot. Onyx was still coming forward, forcing Torque to back away. Finally, Onyx lunged at Torque and smashed his Drag Claw across Torque's face, sending both to the ground.

"Time to die," said Onyx as he aimed his Drag Claw at Torque's face. Onyx was about to blast Torque to oblivion when Sting grasped his arm. "Let me go!"

"There's no need to fight when we can talk things out!" countered Sting.

Onyx snorted, "Always trying to be peaceful to the end, huh?"

"Always, and that won't change," said Sting as he pulled Onyx off Torque. Torque scrambled away as the pink Knight stood up straight and walked towards the green armored gun-slinging Knight. "Alright, listen, friend. We don't need to fight each other. So, put the weapon down." Much to Onyx's surprise and Sting's relief, Torque complied. "Alright, do you mind identifying yourself?"

The green Knight nodded and summoned the energy rings that stripped his armor off. Revealing a young man in his late teens and wearing a brown leather vest over a green t-shirt with a gun logo on it and blue jeans. His black hair had brown highlight. Ryuga and Tazuka also banished their armors.

"Hello, I'm Tazuka Mizuki, and you are…" Tazuka said as he extended a hand in greeting.

"Call me Daizuke," said the young man as he returned the greeting, grasping Tazuka's hand and giving it a shake. "Daizuke Kitaoka. You can also call me…"

"Zodiac Knight Torque," Tazuka finished.

"How did you know?" Daizuke asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"That's how he is. It's a bit creepy if you ask me," said Ryuga. "So, 'Torque', why did you attack us?"

"Actually, I'm sorry about that, but I just wanted to see how tough you guys were," apologized Daizuke.

"So, you attacked us just to gauge our abilities?" Ryuga was tempted to turn this guy to dust. He couldn't trust anybody who tried to blow them up to kingdom come.

"That's right," stated Daizuke. "I wanted to see if you're strong enough to help me take down Sauron."

"Why the sudden change of heart? I thought Sauron gave you the Torque Deck," Ryuga said with arms crossed and eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"When Sauron approached me with the offer, she told me that she wanted to help change the world. I thought she wanted me to help save the world," said Daizuke. "I'm actually a huge fan of the Riders," he said in admiration. "When she offered me the chance to become a Knight, I just…jumped at the chance."

"And then she told you that you had to defeat us," Tazuka finished.

"That's right," nodded Daizuke. "That was when I cut ties with her but ever since I got this deck I've had to look over my shoulder. This deck it's become my weakness now. If it gets destroyed then I'm a goner."

"Did she say what her plan was?" asked Tazuka.

"Well, like I said, she spouted off all this 'change the world' stuff," Daizuke frowned. "Personally, I think she wants to conquer it but she can't since you guys are in the way. So she made us into her little minions since her usual minions weren't able to get the job done."

"Those things are a bunch of pansies," Ryuga scoffed.

"Maybe it's best if we take this conversation elsewhere," suggested Tazuka. "Warren's place, I think, would be a good change of venue."

"Fine," grumbled Ryuga.

* * *

Ryuki got a call from Warren. At that time the Dragon Rider had been hoping for someone to give him an explanation to Ryuga's behavior.

"He…did what?" Ryuki uttered in disbelief.

"He brought Ai Yamagata here to be treated. She got attack and I have a feeling he know by whom," said Warren.

"How did you know he didn't do it?" Ryuki questioned.

"Because he's like you and Ryuji. He's incapable of harming someone he loves," Warren answered.

Ryuki wanted to snap at Warren. He wanted to tell Warren to not compare him with Ryuga. However, he knew Warren was right.

"Is she alright?" Ryuki asked.

"She's fine. She's asleep but before that she wondered where Ryuga was," said Warren.

"I had him," said Ryuki. "I could've used my Final Vent on him and be done with it, but…"

"You took pity on him," Warren concluded. Ryuki nodded.

"Does she know about Ryuga?" Warren asked.

"Not yet," said Warren. "But he's going to have to fess up to her soon."

There was a knock at the door and Vash opened it up to reveal Tazuka. "Nii-san…" Ryuki began but then he saw who was accompanying Tazuka. "You!" he shouted, ready to fight.

"Hey, it's fine," Tazuka said, shielding Ryuga. "He's with me."

Ryuki's eyes narrowed at Ryuga. "I have to go before Jinx wonders where I am." As he walked past Ryuga, he heard his darker counterpart speak.

"Take care of her," Ryuga advised.

Ryuki didn't answer and was out the door.

Tazuka and Ryuga moved to the couch. Tazuka practically had to drag Ryuga inside. This was the last place Ryuga wanted to be so Tazuka had to force him to confront Ai.

"She's in the bedroom, asleep," Warren said.

"Alright, then I'll just leave…" Ryuga began.

"You stay until she wakes up," Warren ordered.

Ryuga couldn't argue and since Tazuka was present he could not make a scene. Deep down he still cared and looked up to Tazuka.

* * *

Ryuga sat on a chair, watching over Ai. "I'm so sorry," he apologized. "I'm the cause of all this. Then again I'm no good at anything but causing destruction and pain." He clenched his fists as tears started to flow from his crimson eyes. "I've done so many horrible things. Guess…guess this is my penance…All my sins have caught up to me."

Warren was eavesdropping from the other side of the door and smiled. "Looks like you're getting back on the right road, my misguided friend. I'm glad. I'm sorry this had to happen, but Fate deals strange hands."


End file.
